The 2017 National Inventors Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place on May 4 in the majestic central hall of the National Building Museum, Washington, D.C.

This summer, while Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria pummeled Texas, Florida, and the Caribbean, one of the worst wildfire seasons ever ravaged over 10 million acres across the western United States and Canada. Fortunately, an ingenious invention called the Bambi Bucket® is helping first-responders and the National Guard battle wildland fires from the sky.

Aerial firefighters can drop the lightweight, collapsible Bambi Bucket from a helicopter, scoop up to 2,600 gallons of water from a lake, carry it to blazing forests, then target a powerful column of water where it is needed most, over and over again. This helps aerial responders contain wildfires in support of ground crews.

Recognizing the worldwide use of the Bambi Bucket to fight wildfires, the U.S. National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) selected Canadian creator Don Arney as one of 15 inductees for 2017. He “epitomizes the spirit of an inventor,” said vice-president of selection Rini Paiva to the Vancouver Sun. Don credits his inventiveness to his daily access to inner silence through his practice of the Transcendental Meditation® technique and the TM-Sidhi® program.